1. Field of the Invention
This novel invention relates to a device designed to release excess air from the bladder of a fish brought up from "depth". Depth is defined as a column of water exceeding 33 feet.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is commonly known the swim bladder of fish caught by hook and line, net or other means expands due to the air contained in it, if the fish is brought up faster than it is able to expel air and therefore maintain a constant volume of air in its bladder. This is caused by the rapid change in depth and a concomitant change in pressure. The pressure is a product of the weight of the water column. The ambient pressure exerted on an object increases by 1 atmosphere with every 33 feet of depth. An example to illustrate this principle is as follows. Air is added to a balloon at a depth of 66 feet and the open end is tied off. If it is then taken to a depth of 99 feet, it will be one half its original size, and therefore contain only one half the volume of air it did at 66 feet because the pressure has doubled. Conversely, if the balloon is taken up to a depth of 33 feet, it would double in size. Under normal conditions, a fish will regulate the volume of air in its bladder as it changes depth. If, on the other hand, a fisherman brings a fish up from depths greater than 33 feet faster than said fish can expel air from its bladder (in order to keep bladder volume constant), the bladder will expand rapidly and attain a size much larger than normal. It may become too large to fit in the fish's body cavity and is consequently expelled out through its anus. When this occurs the fish cannot swim back to depth until the bladder has released this excess air. A large percentage of fish caught in deep water are often too small (undersized) to legally keep without violating the federal and local laws on size limits. Federal and state regulations also may regulate catch totals for specific species. Once these "bag limits" are equaled any additional fish of the same species that are caught must be released. These released fish have little chance of survival from predators, boats or other dangers because of their inability to return to depth rapidly due to their expanded swim bladder.
The fisheries of the world's oceans, lakes, and rivers are being depleted of this precious, natural resource at an unprecedented rate. By increasing the survivability of released fish this resource stands a much better chance of withstanding mankind's demand on this food source. Government agencies are constantly evaluating the "health" of our fisheries. These evaluations often lead to rules reducing the number of a specific species of fish which can be caught. In many cases, regulations demand that fish reach a minimum size before it can be taken. These rules are enacted when a species is under excessive pressure, or risk of extinction. These regulations lead to the release of many fish. A high percentage of released fish die, however, because of a distended swim bladder. On the other hand, the majority of fish are hardy enough to survive puncture of their swim bladder, return to their habitat, and survive. The present device provides a sound method to enable fishing enthusiasts everywhere to do this task effectively and with little effort. The uniqueness and novelty of this device has not been taught by any prior art.